Monday, March 21, 2016

The Great Reveal 2016

Drum roll.

Dim the lights.

This is it.

Today, I, along with hundreds of other participants in the Blogging from A to Z challenge, reveal my theme.

Last year's theme was America the Beautiful, and it would have been so tempting to repeat it.  After all, I have an iPhone stuffed with photos.  Over 3,600 of them.  I'm a digital hoarder.  My son says I am, and I must admit it.

But I wanted to do something a little more personal this year besides shower you with hoarded photos.

So my theme is.....
No, not the soap opera. Just "Days of our Lives".

I never was a soap opera watcher, but my late mother loved them.  In 1965, the year she died, a new soap opera debuted.  At the beginning, a man intoned:

  Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.
In this, my 64th year of existence, I feel more and more like my sands are pouring through the hourglass at an ever increasing rate.   Days of our Lives is my theme for 2016, as I relive events from my life, both past and present.  I'll also blog about some of those I love who are, or were, in my life.

I have 26 posts prepared, nearly prepared, or incubating in my imagination, all for your enjoyment this April. My blog, Ramblin' with AM, concentrates on life in upstate New York and some of my amateur photography and occasional travels.  I've been blogging since April of 2009; daily since late April of 2011.

I can promise you that April 1 will feature a post on autism.  My brother in law, who is in his 50's, has this developmental disability.  It has shaped his life, and all the lives of people who love him.

April 2 will feature a post about an event in Binghamton, New York, a city I have worked in for many, many years, that my spouse somehow got caught up in.  In a good way.

For the rest of my posts, you'll need to visit throughout the month of April.  Some will be posts about my travels.  The April 3 post is always a commemoration of a tragic mass shooting that occurred in Binghamton on April 3, 2009.  And, I will even show you a cemetery in New York that was once the nation's second most popular tourist attraction.  Yes, tourist attraction.

I look forward to this, my second A to Z, and hope to meet some of my favorites from last year's challenge, along with new blogs.

Which reminds me of another saying from my childhood, from when I belonged to the Girl Scouts:
  Make new friends, but keep the old/one is silver, the other is gold.

I treasure all of my readers, past, present, and future, for having confidence in my writing.  Thank you for the time you take visiting and commenting on my blog.

I hope you will use the link for others participating in this Reveal and find new blogs to read and enjoy.
This will be the schedule I and other participants will be following for the #A to Z challenge.

Again, welcome!

50 comments:

  1. What an interesting theme! I look forward to your blog posts this month.

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  2. What an interesting theme. Can't wait to learn more about you. I've only completed mine through the letter 'O' cause I keep changing stuff I've already written.

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    1. I am a private person so can't promise a lot of truly fascinating personal reveals - but we'll see what I come up with.

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  3. You and I share much in common despite our living in two very different parts of America the Beautiful. I was a Girl Scout, too...you are both a silver and gold friend. Looking forward to the Days of Your Life.
    Sue at CollectInTexas Gal

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    1. Maybe I should have chosen my clutter - I mean, my various collections - to blog about. Maybe next year?

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  4. I think it would be fitting to end with the Zika virus. Even though we're pretty sure it won't make it all the way to Buffalo. (Like so many other things.)

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    1. I hadn't even thought of Zika. I chose...well, we'll have to see what happens in the next month.

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  5. Sounds interesting! Good luck on the Challenge this year (but doesn't sound like you need it.) :)

    http://www.dSavannah.com/blog/

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  6. I'm doing the A-Z challenge too - it's getting to be more fun the closer it gets! I did my theme reveal too. Yours sounds really interesting and I'll be back through April to check it out - especially the tourist attraction cemetery!

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    1. Please do, Leanne; I think you will find it intersting and perhaps a little surprising. [Alana@RamblinGarden] from
      Ramblin'WithAM

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  7. Wonderful, Alana. I'll be looking forward to reading about the days of your life!

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  8. I hope your challenge prep continues to go well. Sounds like you have everything figured out. See you in April.
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)

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    1. Thank you, Natasha. I found some of your suggestions in your Tips post of great interest. Alana@RamblinGarden from
      Ramblin with AM

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  9. An interesting theme, the one that will make you reminisce and reflect. Joining you in this journey next month. Cheers :)

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  10. Look forward to seeing what is to come! Have a great week.

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    1. Rena, you have a lot on your plate, and I thank you so much for stopping by.

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  11. Memoirs are always interesting to read. As we get older the nostalgia really kicks in, doesn't it? ☺ Looking forward to your posts!

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    1. Looking forward to your posts on dogs, too. I hope to be sharing many of them.

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  12. I'm looking forward to your posts!!!! Great theme!!!

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    1. Thank you, and I look forward to your Authentic Inspiration.

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  13. I look forward to your always interesting posts.

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  14. Look forward to reading about the grains of sand in your life during the April A to Z Challenge, Alana.

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    1. Thank you, and I know I will also enjoy your theme.

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  15. Oh I love your theme! Can't wait for April 1. I's Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 - we can Sizzle together :)

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    1. Thank you, Sue, I hope we can Sizzle together!

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  16. Love your theme! I look forward to your posts ~Lori~

    Lori @ As the Fates Would Have It
    Lori @ Promptly Written

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    1. Thank you - admire anyone who can A to Z at two blogs. One is hard enough!

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  17. Sounds like it's going to be an interesting month.

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    1. Yes it will be. Stick around for some (I hope) interesting posts.

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  18. I recall that soap opera, and even the world turns.
    Coffee is on

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  19. Lovely theme. I love personal posts as there is so much to learn and be inspired from. I will be around Alana :)

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  20. Kudos for blogging daily, not something most of us can manage to do. The A-Z will be a breeze for you. Best of luck with the challenge.

    Nilanjana
    Madly-in-Verse

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  21. Loved your reference to the sand running through the hour glass. I took off my watch for a year trying to slow time down..it didn't work. See you in April.

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  22. Interesting theme, I look forward to read more during April... Best regards!
    Zeljka from
    The Truck Traveller

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  23. Great theme, I like the fact it's quite a personal one :) Good luck!
    Debbie

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  24. Sounds like a great theme! I'm already intrigued. I grew up in Niagara Falls NY and miss it tremendously. (I live in Austin TX now). I can't wait to read about your life in Upstate New York.
    Glad I found your blog!

    Michele at Angels Bark

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  25. Would love to follow you for your A to Z challenge! Your theme sounds interesting!

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  26. New York. I travelled from New York to Albany by train and back to it by Bus. Good to read your life's stories. I am also in the same age group.
    Good to visit your site as a part of my A to Z visits.
    Welcome to A to Z April Blogging Challenge 2016 - Co-Participant - Nrao
    @knoltweet
    NRao Blogs - 2016 A to Z Challenge Blog Posts
    Management Theory Review

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  27. Great theme. I look forward to reading about the Days of your life. Good luck in the challenge.

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  28. Sounds like you have a great Theme. I will check back with you once the challenge is underway. Maybe before too. I love our Facebook group.

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  29. Sounds very interesting. Love to enjoy your memory lane with you !!!

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  30. Looks like an interesting idea. I'll be interested to see where you take this.

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  31. Your theme (and blog!) interests me on many levels: I lived in Upstate (Dryden) for 8 years--love the area, and my family is still there; I love personal and family history, so Days of our Lives is a great theme; Being in the UK at the moment (for 2 years) I'm a bit homesick, so your posts will be a welcome diversion. Good luck, see you in April Gail at Making Life An Art

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  32. What an interesting theme! I didn't know about the soap opera, but sounds like a fun way to introduce events and places in your life. :)

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